Caramelised DatepricotTF?!?

I wasn’t always the biggest fan of dates but actually after working as a pastry chef for a while I had to start using them for work. Turns out that actually I really quite like them and if you blend them up they’re pretty much a sugar substitute.

So there is one type of dried fruit I really like and that’s dried apricots. Not the cheapest but definitely the tastiest. So with that in mind I had to make a delicious snack and these caramelised datepricot bliss balls are unbelievably moreish.

They’re pretty much a sugar substitute!!

“I WANNA MAKE THEM NOW!!” I hear you say. Well I’m telling you to calm down and read on…. This is what you’re going to need:

150g rehydrated dates

150g Dried apricots

150g almond meal

150g desiccated coconut

1 tbsp honey

Here’s what you do:

Rehydrate the dates and apricots in hot water for 15 minutes until soft. Strain off all the water and place dates to one side. Put a nonstick frying pan on a medium heat and add the apricots. Gently caramelise until dark brown patches appear, then remove from the heat. Allow the dates and apricots to cool, you can put them in the fridge to speed this up. Place the dates and apricots in a food processor and pulse until a semi-smooth paste forms. 

Add the dry ingredients and pulse again until a dough starts to form. Take it out of the processor and finish with you hands, squeezing it into a stiff dough that doesn’t stick to your hands.

 If the dough is sticky the fruit may have been too warm when you blended it so placing the mixture in the fridge to set may help. Once you have your dough, with clean hands (I like to use disposable gloves) roll the dough into little golf ball sized portions. Place the balls into a flat tray or container and place back in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes. 

And there you have it!! I find that 3 are the perfect amount to satisfy cravings and hunger pangs without ruining an upcoming meal. Let me know how you get on in the comments below.